


In This One, or Any Other

by mintedjulep



Category: Agent Carter (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, F/M, Fluff, Or it can be?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-25
Updated: 2019-06-25
Packaged: 2020-05-19 17:46:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19361665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mintedjulep/pseuds/mintedjulep
Summary: Steve reflects on the moments that have led him to this moment in Howard's sparkling courtyard with everyone he loves surrounding him.





	In This One, or Any Other

**Author's Note:**

> I'm tmtbeeb on tumblr. 
> 
> I write VERY infrequently. (No joke - the last thing I wrote was in 2014)

Steve fidgeted nervously with the cuffs of his button-up. Despite what many people thought of him, he has never been particularly fond of being the center of attention. However, Howard truly held back from his usual extravagance and toned his festivities down in support of the guests of honor. 

Steve glanced out over Howard’s lavish courtyard, graced with soft string lights, mellow jazz, and happy laughter and conversation from his closest friends. He could see Howard at the bar, pouring another drink for Dugan, Morita laughing with Barnes at a nearby table, and Jarvis dancing in the crowd with Peggy flushed pink with laughter.

“It’s a bit early for you to be disappearing for the night, don’t you think?” Steve was so enraptured by the festivities, that he didn’t even notice Colonel Phillips appear by his side, a small tumbler of scotch in his hand.

“No Sir,” Steve responded. “Just getting some fresh air for a bit.” 

Phillips chuckled and looked down at the dancing crowd below. “You know, I never thought it would get to this point,” he said while swirling the amber liquid slowly in his glass. “With the war, the crash...all of it. I thought I would never get to see this.” 

Steve’s brows furrowed. “...This, Sir?” 

Phillips took a sip and motioned towards the dance floor.

“Your girl,” he said stoically. “I’ve known that woman for years - I’ve seen many versions of Carter - never thought I would see this version.” 

Steve glanced down at the dance floor, watching Peggy dance with Jarvis, her emerald green dress glinting in the faint night light and her laughter pooling into a warm pit in his stomach. 

“Before we met you, Lord - you would have never recognized her. She was about to go and get hitched to some regular ol’ Joe,” Phillips reminisced softly. “Her brother Michael, rest his soul, was the one who brought her to us.”

Steve shuffled his feet softly and tightened his shoulders. Peggy already told him this story years ago, but hearing it from Phillips was a perspective that Steve never considered. 

“Your girl - my God she was a pain in my ass,” Phillips said, wiping his mouth a bit in reflection. “Strong-willed and smart as all hell. There wasn’t a man in this world who could stop her from doing anything. Maybe except you.” 

Steve blushed slightly and chuckled. 

“You laugh, but you swept that girl off her feet, Rogers,” Phillips said. “So now she’s your pain in the ass.” He patted Steve’s shoulder gently. “You two are going to be just fine.”

Steve looked back at Phillips, the man who was his superior, and assisted him in helping to bring Red Skull down. The man who, despite all instinct, trusted two wildly passionate soldiers to do make decisions that were the right choice for their country. “Thank you, Sir.”

Phillips descended down the stairs, down towards the rest of the party. He stops and turns back for just a moment.

“Oh, and Rogers?”

“Yes, Sir?”

“Keep an eye on Carter’s intake. She gets feisty when she’s had too much.” 

\---

Peggy doesn’t remember the last time she’s had this much fun for the sake of having fun. Sure, she and Steve had taken a few vacations here and there and had some adventures on their own, but being surrounded entirely by people who were there to love and support them has brought a whole other level of joy to her experience of the night. 

“Ms. Carter, may I trouble you for a break? It seems that Mrs. Jarvis is requesting a dance,” Jarvis bows slowly to Peggy, he laughs at him. 

“Surely, you don’t need permission, Mr. Jarvis,” Peggy said after a soft kiss on his cheek, leaving a faint imprint of her lipstick behind. “Thank you for the lovely dance.” 

Peggy watches as Jarvis greets his wife and she turns her shoulder over towards the bar where Howard is mixing Barnes another drink. 

“Another for you, my lady?” Howard asks from behind the counter of his outdoor bar. Peggy just smiles, knowing that he’s already started mixing another gin and tonic for her as Barnes pats her on the shoulder and disappears towards the dance floor. 

“Howard, I can’t thank you enough for this party,” Peggy says, leaning on the bar, alleviating her sore feet from a long night of festivities. “And dare I say, it definitely does NOT scream Howard Stark, which we both greatly appreciate.” 

Howard chuckled, straining her freshly mixed gin and tonic into a small tumbler. “You doubt my ability to throw a party, Carter?” 

“No, I doubt your ability to create a subtle party,” Peggy said. She tips her glass towards Howard and he clinks his glass with hers. “But somehow you did it.” 

Howard laughs as they both take a sip. “Alright Ms. Carter, it’s my turn to steal you for a bit. Let’s dance.” 

The two place their glasses on the bar as Howard leads Peggy out onto the dance floor. Their friends are all jovial and laughing, enjoying the warm summer night and the joyous occasion. Dugan twirls Angie, and Anna and Jarvis are still swaying gently in each others’ arms. Howard looks at Peggy, who is very clearly a little bit tipsy, but smiling brightly nonetheless. 

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you like this, Carter,” he said, swaying her slightly to the music. 

“Like what, Howard?” She asked in response, one eyebrow cocked curiously. “Happy, by chance?”

He chuckles at her. “No, Peg - I’ve never seen you DRUNK before,” he twirls her slightly and she stumbles a bit. She spins back in and slaps his chest. 

“I am NOT drun-” Howard catches her as she stumbles a bit. They both laugh as she rights herself again. 

“You were saying?” 

“Okay, maybe I am not completely 100%,” Peggy responds. Howard glances past Peggy, to see Steve motioning towards Peggy.

“It seems you have another suitor awaiting you, m’lady,” Howard says, bowing low and kissing her knuckles. Peggy playfully slaps him as she turns to see Steve, holding out his hand for a dance. 

“I’d hate to step on your toes,” he says to her with a smirk on his face. Peggy blushes gently again, for the hundredth time that night. “May I have this dance?” 

Peggy takes his hand as he pulls her in close. “You can have this dance, and every dance in the future, my love.” 

She rests her head on his shoulder as they sway gently. She thinks about the first time they shared their dance, a seemingly impossible one in the living room of her newly purchased home. She thinks back to the war of a small, strong-willed gentleman, a few inches shorter than her. She thinks of him returning from behind enemy lines, with the 107th trailing behind him proudly. She looks at him now, staring at her as if she was the only thing in this world. 

“Did you ever think we would get here?” She whispers to him closely. He looks down at her, a soft grin growing on his face. 

“I would do everything in my power to make sure that we would - in this lifetime and any other after this.”


End file.
